Railway car coupler



RAILWAY CAR COUPLER Filed oct. so, 1959 Patented Aug. 12, 1941 UNETED ST PATEN T astri RAILWAY CAR COUPLER Application October 30, 1930, Seria-l No. 302,010

(Cl. Z13- 12) 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in railway car couplers, particularly for use on mining cars and the like.

Mining railway cars usually operate under difficult conditions. Such cars operate in tunnels where space is limited. As driving of the tunnel progresses, ore, rock or whatever material is being encountered, must be dug at the head of the tunnel, loaded into cars and hauled out.

Modern practice in driving a tunnel makes use of digging machines or, as referred to in mining parlance, mucking machines, These digging or mucking machines ordinarily operate on the narrow-gage railways that are typically used in vsuch tunnels, and are provided with shovels or buckets which lift the material being excavated from immediately in front of the machine and dump it immediately at the rear. These digging or mucking machines have been particularly developed for use in crowded quarters where a swinging boom or ordinary power shoveling equipment would be entirely inoperative.

In use, such digging or mucking machines are run into the tunnel, to the head where the actual digging is in progress. A mine car, usually of the dump type, is run in and positioned immediately at the rear of the digging or mucking machine and just as close thereto as possible. Due to the limitations of space under these circumstances, the mucking machine has only a limited capacity for shoveling material. It is, therefore, important that the dump car being loaded be positioned just as close behind the mucking machine as possible.

In ordinary railway car construction, the coupler projects longitudinally from and beyond the car and it has been found that this projecting coupler prevents positioning the car being loaded as close to the mucking machine as is desired. Under such circumstances, the loading operation is not eihcient and the car cannot be loaded toits maximum capacity. The mucking machine can move the material only a very limited distance. This problem has been solved by the present invention.

The operations herein described have particularly set forth modern practice in tunnel driving in the mining industry, but it is manifest that such practice may well be followed in driving a tunnel bore for any other purpose, such as for water conduction.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a railway car coupler that can be swung laterally out of the way so that .the Car may be positioned in close proximity to a digging or mucking machine.

Another object is to provide in such a coupler, improved means for absorbing shock, both thrust and pull.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coupler of this type that may be locked securely in its operating position.

Other objects and advantages reside in details of design and construction which will be more fully disclosed in the following description and in the drawing wherein like parts have been similarly designated and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan View of a central frame construction of a typical mining dump car on which is mounted a coupler that embodies the present inventive concept;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately along the line 2 2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

In order clearly to disclose an operable reduction to practice of the present invention, the accompanying drawing will be described in detail. However, it is to he understood that the example herein disclosed is typical and is not intended to express or imply any limitation to the invention, the scope of which is, in reality, measured by the appended claims.

Changes in detail of design and construction may occur to those skilled in the art, but the eX- ample herein recorded is constructed as follows:

Reference character 5 denotes a typical mining dump car central frame element which is relatively narrow to provide for side dumping of the car body. The structure 5 typically is composed of complementary structural steel channels 6 and Ga. Secured across the structural channels 6 and @a in vertically spaced relationship, are draft plates 'I and 8 which are reinforced by plates 9 and It respectively.

Carried between the draft plates 'l and 8 is a coupler i2 having a head I3 and a shank Iii. The end of the shank M that is opposite the coupler head i3 is provided with an arcuate external contour, the plan View that is Figure 1 showing this end l5 of the coupler shank as enlarged into about three-quarters of a circle.

The entire coupler unit l2 is mounted for limited pivotal or angular movement about the center of this arcuate or three-quarter circular end as an axis, by means of a pin I6. In its normal operating position as shown in Figure l, the cou- 191er .head i 3 projects longitudinally from and beyond the frame structure 5 and, therefore, it will project in the usual manner beyond the completed dump car.

The pivot pin I6 is carried in a yoke I1 and passes through draft plates and reinforcing plates 1, 8, 9 and I0 through elongated holes I8. The pivot pin I6 likewise passes through the end I5 ofthe coupler shank I4 through an elongated K hole I9,.the shank I4 being made hollow as illustrated in Figure 2 to reduce its weight. The pin I6 passes through closely fitting holes in the yoke I1.

The yoke I1 houses a compression spring 20 which bears against the yoke at 2I and against a follower 22 that is provided on one side with a centering boss 23 and on .the other side with an arcuate surface 24 that fits and bears against similarly arcuate adjacent edges of the plates 1, 8, 9 and I0 and also lits the shape of the end I5 of the coupler shank I4.

The structural channel member 6a is lpartially cut out as at 25 sorthat the Yentire coupler I2 may be swung or moved angularly about the pivot pin I6throughsaid cut-out opening to the dotted line position illustrated in Figure l.

structural angle i member 26 is secured to the -channel member 6a and positioned to extend over the cut-out portionV 25 thereof.

Al reinforcing A locking,` pin 21 isA removably positioned in suitableapertures-through reinforcing angle 26 1 agnd.1;xlates1 and 8, to prevent the coupler assembly I2-from accidentally swinging to the side away from its normalfoperating position. 'The locking pin 2-1V is providedwith a latch extension 28 that Yengages in a suitable stepped slot in the upstanding -leg of theangle 26, by rotation of the pin. Thus, the locking=pin 21 is prevented from inadvertent removal from its normal position.

" It is-clearly obvious that a thrust applied to the coupler I2 will be transmitted to the follower Vplate 22, the compression spring 26, the yoke I1,

the pin I6 and thence to they draft plates 1, 8, 9

@and Il).v -The spring 2l) will compress to absorb the shock of the thrust, the elongated holes I9 -permitting the shank I4 of the coupler I2 to move inwardly toward thefcar frame during such compression.

Similarly, if `tension or vdrawbar pull is applied tothe coupler I2, such forcewill be transmitted to the pin I6, the yoke I1, the compression spring 20, the -follower 22 and thence to the draft plates 1, V8-,1 9 and I9, the elongated openings I8 in said draft lplates* permitting the spring 2D to compress by permitting' the pivot pin- I6 to move forward during such compression.

yThe limit of-the openings I9 in the shank I4 of theV coupler I2 determines the degree of compression ofthe spring 20 when thrust is applied to the-coupler, and the limits of the openings I6 in Hthe'draft plates 1, 8, 9 and I0 determine the degree of vcompression of the spring 2|] when tension isgapplied to the coupler I2. Thus, the spring y2li-cannot beV overloaded-but the shock of both thrust and tension is absorbed by the spring.

.-V'When the car 'equipped with the improved v coupling istobe loaded by afdigging or muckfingmachine, the lock pin 21 is removed and the f entire'coupler assembly I2 is swung or pivoted to its dotted line Aposition as shown in Figure l. In

.this position, it is out of the way and the car may v beiLplaced. very S close behind the mucking ma u' .chine to` be :loaded thereby to its maximum holdingiicapacity.

Aidownwardly projecting structural member '."29 is positioned across the undersurfaces of the frame structure 5 and cooperates with the mucking machine which typically is provided with a hook-like member which may engage the part 29 on the car to hold it from moving away from the machine. Different types of mucking machines have different arrangements for holding the oar being loaded in close proximity and against accidental separating movement. The part 29 herein set forth is merely typical. A lug or projection to cooperate with a member on the mucking machine may be positioned elsewhere on the car structure according to the type of mucking machine to be used.

Thus, the stated objects of the invention are fully accomplished in that an improved car coupler is provided that absorbs shocks, both thrust and pull, and which readily may be swung out of the way to position the car in close proximity to a digging or mucking machine. Means also being provided for locking the coupler against inadvertent pivotal movement away from its normal operating position. In practice, the locking pin 21 may not always be essential. Under some circumstances, it may be dispensed with, as it hasbeen found in actual use that there is very little tendency for a coupler made according to this invention, to move accidentally away from its normal operating position. Therefore, the locking feature or means for limiting angular movement of the coupler element, as exemplified by pin 21, may be optionally used or omitted.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In car coupler construction, vertically spaced draft plates having corresponding convex arcu- -ate edges and having elongated vertically alined holes, a coupler element having a coupler head and having a shank positioned between the draft plates and terminating in a convex arcuate contour corresponding to the arcuate edges of the draft plates, there being an elongated opening in the shank corresponding to the holes in the plate, a yoke embracing the plates, a pivot pin carried in the yoke and positioned through the holes in the draft plates and through the opening in the coupler shank whereby the coupler element is mounted for limited longitudinal and angular movements with reference to said plates, a compression spring in the yoke, and a follower pressed by said spring toward the plates and the arcuate end of the coupler shank and having an arcuate concave surface cooperating with the arcuate convex edges of the draft plates and cooperating with the arcuate convex surface of the coupler shank.

2. In a car coupler construction, vertically spaced draft plates having corresponding convex arcuate edges and having elongated vertically alined holes, a coupler element having a coupler head and having a shank positioned between the draft plates and terminating in an enlarged end of circular contour corresponding to the arcuate edges of the draft plates, there being an elongated opening in the shank corresponding to the holes in the plate, a yoke embracing the plates, a pivot pin carried in the yoke and positioned through the holes in the draft plates and through the opening` in the coupler shank wheretoward said plates and shank and having an arcuatevconcave surface cooperating with the arcuatc convex edges of the draft plates and cooperating with the circular convex surface of the coupler shank.

3. In car coupler construction, the combination with a car frame element having spaced complementary longitudinal structural members, of two vertically spaced draft plates attached to the members, a pivot pin positioned through the plates, and a coupler element pivoted to the plates between the structural members, by the pin, a portion of one of said structural members being. open to provide clearance for said coupler element to move angularly through and beyond the vertical plane 0f said member.

4. In car coupler construction, vertically spaced draft plates having elongated vertically alined holes, a coupler element having a couplerl head and having a shank positioned between the draft plates and terminating in a convex arcuate contour, there being anelongated opening in the shank corresponding to the holes in the plates, a yoke embracing the plates, a pivot pin carried in the yoke and positioned through the holes in the draft plates and through the opening in the coupler shank whereby the coupler element is mounted for limited longitudinal and angular movements with reference to said plates, a compression spring yin the yoke, and a follower pressed by said spring toward the plates and the coupler and having an arcuate concave surface cooperating with the arcuate convex terminal surface of the coupler shank.

` 5. In car coupler construction, vertically spaced draft plates having elongated vertically alined holes, a coupler element positioned between the draft plates, there being an elongated opening in said coupler element corresponding to the holes in the plates, a yoke embracing the plates, a pivot pin carried in the yoke and positioned through the holes in the draft plates and through the opening in the coupler element whereby said coupler element is mounted for limited longitudinal movement and for angular movement with reference to said plates, a compression spring in the yoke, and a follower pressed by said spring toward the plates and the coupler.

6. In car coupler construction inclusive of a car frame element, the improvement which comprises vertically spaced draft plates carried upon the frame element, and a coupling element inclusive of a coupler head, positioned between the draft plates substantially within the horizontal plane of said frame element for limited longitudinal movement and for angular movement with :reference to said plates and frame element, means located inside of the end vertical plane of the frame element, said means being formed and arranged to provide for horizontal angular movement of said coupling element to a position Where it -is inside said end vertical plane of the frame element, whereby said coupler element is retractable to a position of non-interference when not in use as a coupler. ARTHUR V. CARD. 

